Design for live streaming: is a separate design necessary?
Transferring the entire campaign assets into a vertical livestream frame is the most common mistake, and it undermines both the price and the brand.
Yes, if live streaming is a genuine sales channel and runs consistently, you need a dedicated asset set for this format. Vertical screens, platform interfaces that obscure image edges, and viewers looking on small phones create entirely different requirements compared to static images or commercials. Designing correctly for the format ensures that pricing, promotions, and brand identity do not get lost during the session.
- direct sales is the main channel or runs evenly to achieve revenue targets for each version
- Need to overlay the standard countdown framework to pin products consistently with campaign recognition.
- You only make a few versions without clearly defining if this channel has a customer file.
Live streaming (selling via livestream) is not just an additional distribution channel. It is a completely different presentation format: vertical screen, continuous speaking by the host, small frames on mobile, and platform interfaces that obscure edges of the visuals in ways you cannot control. If you simply transfer the campaign images or commercials here, it is highly likely that the price, product name, and brand identity will be overshadowed or cut off.
Why is this format completely different?
Static images and campaign banners are often designed in horizontal or square ratios, with layouts optimized for a few seconds of attention. Live broadcasts operate in a vertical 9:16 ratio, where viewers listen and watch, and they only read text in a split second while the host speaks. The interfaces of popular platforms in Vietnam also take up a significant portion at the bottom and sides for interaction buttons, shopping carts, and comments. The actual area displaying brand content is much smaller than what you see when designing on a computer.
According to McKinsey's report on live commerce, the conversion rate of this channel is higher than that of traditional e-commerce partly due to its entertainment value and the feeling of getting a good deal right at that moment. This means that if the design does not support that feeling, such as unreadable prices, unremarkable offers, and inconsistent identity, you are losing the inherent advantage of the channel.
What needs to be designed for this format
- Safe zone: clearly define the area of the frame that the platform interface will never cover; all important information must be within that zone.
- Overlay graphic layer: price frames, countdowns, product pins. This is the most frequently displayed part in the session and needs to be standardized so that each session does not produce a different style.
- Readable text and numbers on small screens: font size, contrast, and pricing presentation need to be tested in real scenarios on mobile devices, not just on design screens.
- Physical background and props: The space behind the presenter is part of the design. Colors, materials, and arrangement must align with the campaign identity.
- Consistent with the original key visual: The adapted version for live streaming must retain enough common identity assets such as colors, fonts, and logos for viewers to recognize it as the same brand across different touchpoints.
When to do it, when it can wait
Can you start simply? If you are still testing the channel and are unsure if the customer segment is responding well, you only need enough safe space, readable pricing text, and a background in the right tone. Once the version runs smoothly, then you can upgrade to a full asset set.
Common errors when not designing separately
- Transferring the horizontal key visual of the campaign into a vertical frame: the image gets cut off, and the main message is lost.
- Text size and offers are too small or fall into areas obscured by the platform interface: viewers cannot read it even when paying attention.
- Background and props mismatch the campaign identity: viewers cannot associate the broadcast with the brand.
- There is no standard overlay: each session has a different style, and over time this will make the channel appear unprofessional even if the content is good.
The viewpoint of Sinh Vũ
In the multi-channel adaptive system, Sinh Vũ treats live streaming formats as a separate branch of the original key visual, not as a supplementary or additional part. The asset package for this channel includes standard overlays, price frames, safe zones, physical backgrounds, and usage rules so that the operational team can apply them consistently across multiple sessions.
What the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute recognizes is that brands grow by accumulating memory across multiple touchpoints, not through a single point. A live streaming channel that wants to contribute to this must recognize itself as the same brand that customers have encountered before. Designing in the correct format is a necessary condition for this to happen.
Each format requires a separate adaptation, but must still maintain the common identity assets to build brand memory across each touchpoint.
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science.
Decision checklist
Topic: Should we design specifically for live sales? Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
McKinsey, Ready for prime time? The state of live commerce; Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science..
Frequently asked questions
If the campaign already has a key visual, why not use it for the livestream?
Key visuals are often designed in horizontal or square proportions, optimized for static images and banners. When placed in the vertical frame of a livestream, important parts are often cut off or fall into areas obscured by the platform interface. Doing it right means creating a vertical adaptation that maintains the overall identity assets but completely reconfigures the layout.
Does Sinh Vũ operate live broadcasts and close sales?
No. Sinh Vũ designs asset kits and usage rules: overlay frames, countdowns, product pins, backgrounds, and safe zones. The operation of the broadcast version and order closure is the responsibility of the sales team or a specialized livestreaming unit.
Only conduct a few trial sessions, is it necessary to design systematically?
If you are still testing to see if this channel fits your customer base, you can start simply: enough safe space, readable pricing text, and a background that matches the brand tone. Only when you determine to broadcast regularly and have sales targets per session should you invest in a full asset set.